This pet has a chance to drop from the mobs before the Council of Elders encounter in Normal and Heroic mode. It can also drop in LFR, however it will drop after defeating the Council, rather than from trash mobs. In LFR, it is earned as extra, separate loot in addition to other rewards for defeating Council.

As of Patch 5.4, players can now win this pet by using a bonus roll (Mogu Rune of Fate) after defeating the Council in LFR.

Great looking pet and very strong in battle too. A very underated elemental that has some versatility to it. Considering my sandling is a H/S breed I tend to stick with a tanking style. I start with stone skin, then use quick sand and spam sand bolt until I have to reapply stone skin and quick sand which usually never gets to that point since he hits hard. With moves that take away the other pets speed, and gives the sandling more time to hit and defend he is a great choice with an anubisath idol.

I think the battle rating for this is low, I think people underestimate this little guy. Definitely not real useful in the pvp area (at least in my experience), but I definitely love to use mine when doing my dailies and when looking for rares I don't have yet. Trying to work him into my celestial tourny line-up because I love him so much :D

Agree about taking down the tonk and monkey! I start with Nexus Whelp, time the arcane storm right and monkey can't stun you either. Quicksand and goodbye tonk and monkey. This is a great pet for mechanicals! Some elementals just don't have his clout

To the person who asked if it can be caged, yes. My guildie just traded me his for my Netherspace Abyssal, since I didn't want it and he couldn't get it to drop, even though I told him his was rarer, haha. You can see them on the AH pretty frequently.

I wonder if H/S is the best breed? It seems to me with he Sandling abilities you could pick the slowest one since in most cases the opposition will be at 50% speed anyway with Quicksand or at best 75% speed if you have Sand Bolt up? Seems to me H/P might be better or even P/B if you sacrifice some health?

wowhead is saying 4% (off the trash) in throne of thunder, so odds seem pretty good, expect a rapid price drop in the weeks to come. Also means you could just farm runs till it dropped since it not off an exclusive once a week loot table.